


In Sickness and in Health

by spaceyquill



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-08-21 20:40:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8259871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceyquill/pseuds/spaceyquill
Summary: When Echo's old Citadel injuries flare up, Fives and Ahsoka take the time to see him through it.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [OtulissaOwl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OtulissaOwl/gifts).



In the black expanse of space, Echo’s oldest excuse that his injuries flared up with the seasons fell flat. He only earned Ahsoka’s worried glances every time the recurring pain made him hiss, and Fives checking in on him every hour whenever Echo retreated to his bunk to suffer through it.

Fives had been protective of his brother ever since pulling him out of the burning wreckage during the nightmare mission that was the Citadel—a decision that nearly cost him his rank. It added several punitive articles to Fives’ record in addition to the disciplinary actions suggested by General Kenobi, but it got Echo to a medical bay in time to save his life and limbs. Fives never stopped looking out for Echo even though Fives’ own actions afterwards were described as “increasingly destructive” by his chain of command. Or at least that’s what filled the reports attempting to justify Fives’ erratic behavior after Tup’s death.

Luckily, Ahsoka had stayed close to the life she’d walked away from. Just as the war turned as terrible at home as it had always been abroad, Ahsoka snuck in and rescued Fives from the wrath of Chancellor Palpatine and those he wielded. In turn, once Fives heard that Echo was on the brink of medical discharge from the GAR—rumored to be shipped back to Kamino in some sort of “assistant capacity”—he didn’t have to say much to convince Ahsoka to swoop in and rescue his brother, as well.

Fives brought the heating pad to Echo’s bunk. Sliding it beneath Echo’s lower back, he crawled in to sit against the wall, letting Echo use his lap as a pillow.

“I'll be fine,” Echo assured him as Fives stroked his arm. “Just need to let it run its course.”

Ahsoka entered with a small blue vial to offer to Echo. “Painkillers?”

He took it in one gulp before holding his arm out to her. Ever since the first time both Ahsoka and Fives had sat with him through his flare ups—back on the dusty planet they’d first landed on where he really could use his old excuse—Echo all but expected it anymore. Ahsoka crawled onto the edge of the bunk to lay on her side, resting her head on Echo’s shoulder. She was the chill relief to the combined heat of Fives and the pad hugging his back, and reaching up to hold his brother’s hand, Echo soon fell asleep.

 

He woke to a cool finger sliding along his jaw and the familiar weight of Fives’ hand on his chest. Fives dozed against the wall, but Ahsoka was wide awake and exploring.

“How long was I out?” Echo asked quietly. It was enough to successfully shift her interest into tracing his lips.

“Maybe an hour. Feeling any better?”

“The pain’s gone for now.” He earned a kiss on the cheek.

“Anything you need?” Ahsoka asked.

She couldn’t bring what was already there. Echo held her tighter. “Thank you. For taking the time to stay with me.”

After the Citadel—and Fives subsequently suffering the consequences of disobeying a Jedi General’s order to leave Echo behind—Echo couldn’t bring himself to trust the Jedi as staunchly as he once did. At least rehab lasted long enough for him to get a handle on his own anger before he was cleared for duty on the assurances he was “healed enough” for the war effort.

Ahsoka had been the first Jedi to completely re-earn his trust—even before her military trial that won not only Echo’s sympathy but the entire legion’s.

The war had shattered all of them, and left them to pick up the pieces.

Echo placed a kiss on her forehead, right beneath her headdress. He’d long since stopped thinking in terms of rank, and life quickly improved once free from the burden of that hierarchy.

Ahsoka pulled his chin down to share a proper kiss, something that’d become more commonplace recently as the stark reality of the Empire drove all three of them closer together. It was such a gentle gesture, soothing for Echo to give and receive, that eventually it morphed into a more passionate embrace—deeper… and louder.

Fives woke with a shiver only to poke Echo’s head. “Hey,” he grumbled, sleep still thick in his voice, “I was here first.”

“No one’s stopping you from joining,” Ahsoka said with a teasing smile as Echo released her. Echo almost mimicked her expression from Fives’ lap, calling his bluff.

Fives frowned. “I can’t bend like that.”

Echo pulled him down onto his side, losing his lap pillow in the process. He sat up and met Fives in a kiss just as sincere. “I appreciate both of you,” Echo said against his mouth.

“Anything for you, cyare,” Fives said. He leaned back far enough that the wink he gave could’ve been intended for either Echo or Ahsoka.

“Well,” Echo said with a quick look at the two of them flanking him, “we can’t just sit here all day. We have things to do.” And with a bit of struggle between the two additional bodies that didn’t move an inch, Echo finally freed himself and left the cabin in search of ways to be extra productive to compensate for the time he feared he wasted by nursing his old injuries.

 

On the bunk, Fives let one hand trail down Ahsoka’s arm. “Thanks for taking him in,” he intoned. “Both of us, really. We probably owe you our lives.”

“Just wish there was a way to save more of you,” she said, the attempted smile on her face burning out before it even had a chance.

“You’re helping us with these chips,” Fives said as he hooked a finger under her chin. “That’ll help save more brothers than I can count.” And he pulled her into a soft kiss of gratitude.


End file.
